Medical application - Puncture testing on plasma membrane

Customer needs and challenges

ANDILOG collaborated with searchers from the medical industry to supply a puncture testing measuring device. The goals of the searchers was to charaterize and quantify the microstructural constituents.The needs were to provide:

A complete solution which is able to test and characterize plasma membranes, in order to make comparisons across studies.

A real-time characterization methods which is capable of following the process of membrane penetration

It is critical to be able to characterize the force preceding the first penetration event on cellular, as it gives access to the cytoplasm.

Note: Similar tests have been pursued on tissues in order to characterize the strength and elasticity properties and so have a better understanding of the tissues’ healing mechanism.

ANDILOG Solution

To reply to this challenge of measuring the cell penetration force, ANDILOG supplied:

The motorized and automated testing stand STENTOR CC, which is able to repeat with high accuracy the same process on a large amount of samples

a puncture fixture, which clamps and provides rigidity to the plasma membrane specimen

The control and acquisition software CALIFORT, which collects data for later examination of the membrane rupture

Results

Researchers were able to clearly identify the membrane penetration forces, by collecting the force at first breakthrough and then compared the penetration forces on treated cells for further research purposes.

The collected results at the end of the testing protocol were maximum force, force at break, and penetration distance.

ANDILOG Products

ANDILOG was able to answer to this challenge by offering the computerized testing machine STENTOR CC which is controlled through the software CALIFORT; and a puncture fixture used to determine the resistance of a material to the penetration of a probe. The penetration event corresponds to advancements of the probe toward the specimen.

> The STENTOR CC is a motorized testing machine able to perform tensile and compression test at a constant speed rate. The load cell can be sized accordingly to the testing requirements and are available from 10N to 5000N.

> The puncture fixture is composed by a base with anti-slip ring which hold and secure the specimen in place, when the probe (or puncture plunger) is used to penetrate through the material (available in various shape: cylindrical, spherical, with sharp edges, radiused edges or needle shaped).

Test material is cut into 3x3in square, it is critical to have an uniform specimen

Specimen is held by the set of clamping rings offered by the puncture fixation

The puncture fixation is attached to the working area of the testing system STENTOR CC

A probe is attached to the load cell on the moving crosshead of the testing system

The tester goes in down direction, and applies a small compression force (< 1 lb) to the specimen through the probe

The force and displacement value are zeroed

The STENTOR CC continues the test at a constant rate of crosshead movement according to the specification and continues until the specimen rupture

The force is loaded up onto the specimen as the probe advanced

This force relaxed transiently when a penetration occurred

Penetration event is automatically detected and recorded by the CALIFORT

The STENTOR CC reverses its movement to return to its original position; the probe is retracted from the specimen.

Our key added value

Our added value has been underlined by our customer by our capacity to coordinate approaches and method effectively. We have been able to react and answer quickly to the needs of providing a full compatible and advanced device. The main advantages of our measuring solutions are:

Repeatable results with automatic pre-defined calculations

Slow rate penetration speed in order to characterize with accuracy the resistance properties

Andilog

ANDILOG TECHNOLOGIES is a recognized specialist for over 25 years in measuring instruments for force and torque applications in the industrial and research markets.
We achieved this goal thanks to a culture of innovation and a strict quality policy.
For each measurement case of force or torque, Andilog is creating an innovative and ergonomic solution.
We offer measuring devices such as test benches, software, force and torque gauges, digital displays, manual and motorized test stands.
We also have every possibility of calibration in force and torque in our laboratory.
Our experience as a designer, a manufacturer and an integrator of portable force measuring systems allows us to offer integrated products into complete systems for assembly or manufacturing. All these products feature the latest technologies and are designed for ease of use by industry technicians, laboratory or research.